Looking for a new job can be very frustrating. You send out resumes and fill out applications all with the goal of getting an employer to see your strengths and experience and to feel like they matter. Making a connection with an employer that you can't see is very difficult. This is where having a well written resume can come into play and be one of the most valuable tools you have available to you.
When employers are narrowing down a group of candidates and deciding which ones to interview, and even which ones to hire, your resume can be the tie-breaker. A strong, achievement focused resume can show an employer a lot about who you are as a person and as an employee. If there are a few people who are qualified for the position, your resume can show them that you know yourself and you can produce outstanding work. If you compare that to the typical resume, you can see the difference it can make.
Here are some other reasons that having an achievement focused resume can make a difference in your job search:
- Your resume is a marketing tool and your commercial all in one. You don't want it to be anything less than perfect and compelling.
- For many companies, your resume is the first piece of your work they will be able to see. You want them to be impressed.
- Your resume and its contents will be the starting point during your interview and will set the context of your interview. Maximize this by showing them your achievements and allowing them to be brought up during the discussion.
- Resume screening software is real and is most likely being used at 90% of companies, even the small ones. With applicants sending in digital copies of their resumes, it is super easy for any company to use. Keep this fact in mind and fill your resume with keywords to describe your skills and talents.
- A great resume should leave an employer wanting to learn more about you. This isn't an autobiography, so leave out things in the job description that should be obvious. For example, if you work in a bookstore, selling books and ringing up customers is assumed, so don't list it as part of the job summary. Instead, tell them how you made a difference at the bookstore.
- Writing a great resume will help you sort out your job experience and successes into a logical story. This will help you appreciate your achievements and give you a clear picture of what sort of job is a good fit for you and will give you answers to the question “Why should we hire you?”
- Your resume is the first, and sometimes only, impression you will have on the company. Make it memorable.
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By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.
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